A day at Kentwell Hall, Long Melford

Tudor days at Kentwell Hall are big on authenticity – and fun. Here photographer Georgie Coll captures some of the characters while Lucy Turner discovers five things you may not know about the Long Melford stately home.

Kentwell Hall’s Tudor events are not done by halves; every inch of the Long Melford house and estate is used to present a yesteryear community. You will hear old English being spoken, see people in traditional dress and there’s a chance you may catch the stimulating aromas of Tudor cuisine.

Five things you may not know

So many different characters inhabit the Hall and surrounds, sometimes up to 250 of them. All ages and occupations are represented. Every individual camps on- site for the duration of the event, and keep in character until they leave the site.

Every time Kentwell Hall hosts a Tudor event, a specific year is chosen to be re-enacted. A month is selected and the events and background of this time accurately replicated.

Depending on the event, you are more than welcome to bring your own picnic basket of modern food to enjoy lunch in the grounds, but if you want to sample 16th century food it is available. Delights such as ‘pottidge’, which is a mix between porridge and vegetable soup, or maybe sweetmeats might appeal?

A large number of schools visit each year and over half a million pupils have sampled the Tudor experience.

Whatever the weather Kentwell Hall will never cancel their Tudor events. Problems are easily solved, moving the outdoor activities inside, for instance. Obviously the grounds can be admired more with the sun out, but the experience is exactly the same come rain or shine.

Scenes from a Kentwell Tudor Day

Upcoming events at Kentwell Hall

The house, gardens and grounds are open most weekends from 11am to 5pm. However, Kenthall also offer special events such as the following:

Michaelmas Weekend – 23/24th September 2017
The Feast of St Michael and All Angels (St Michael’s Mass = ‘Michaelmas’) falls in September. Because if occurs near the equinox in England, it marked the ending and the beginning of the husbandman’s year.

Christmastide at Kentwell – 8th-10th and 15th-17th December 2017
Kentwell’s Magical Christmas is a day of activities for the whole family. Enjoy our insights into Victorian Life. Parents (and grandparents) find it a stimulating place to take children at Christmas-time to enjoy the festive spirit. There is a whole range of activities, topped off by a family visit to Father Christmas in his Cottage.